Supervisor:
Professor Mark Harris (Andreas Idreos Chair in Science and Religion, Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre in Science and Religion)
College:
Wolfson College
Research Overview:
My research sits where neuroscience, theology and the philosophy of mind meet. My thesis examines how Isaac Newton’s theology and philosophy of mind can inform current debates about how mind and brain relate. I draw on Newton’s natural philosophy, theological manuscripts and alchemical writings. I ask whether his metaphysics of powers, together with his accounts of space and divine omnipresence, can allow for genuine mental causation without violating conservation laws. Combining historical scholarship with analytic philosophy of mind and constructive theology, I engage directly with current non-physicalist research in the neuroscience of consciousness, testing where Newtonian resources can support, sharpen or constrain these emerging models.
My academic training spans engineering, philosophy, and the relationship between science and spirituality, alongside nearly three decades of applied work on human performance. I founded The Greatness Group, have trained, coached or spoken to tens of thousands of people on six continents, and have written two books on peak performance, Think or Sink and The Secret of Successful Failing. One question runs through both careers: how does the mind bring about real change in a world governed by natural law?
Beyond research, I embrace everything Oxford has to offer including daily dog walks along the canal. I can be found on the river at dawn with the Wolfson College rowing team where I also serve as Co-Development Officer. Evenings take me to classical concerts or to the Oxford Union, the historic debating society, to hear leading voices in politics, science and culture.
Educational Background:
BASc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto, MSc in Philosophy, Science & Religion from the University of Edinburgh.
Research Interests:
Consciousness Research, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Isaac Newton.
